Waist-form.



H. SWALLIE.

WAIST FORM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1011.

1,066,551 Patented July 8,1913.

Attorneys.

UNITED STATES PA ENT OFFICE.

HARRIET SWALLIE, OF SIDNEY, OHIO.

WAIST-FORM.

"0 (1 'zrhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRIET SWALLIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sidney, in the county of Shelby and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful \Vaist-Form, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to inflatable waist forms.

The object of the invention is to provide a noveland thoroughly practical article of this character, adapted more particularly for use by dresslnakers, in the use of which accurate fitting'of waists will be assured irrespective of the peculiarities in the figures of different customers, and which may be employed for the purpose designed with persons of any size within reasonable bounds.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of an inflatable waist form, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a waist form constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

The form embodies an inflatable bag or casing consisting of two side sections 1 and 2 that are connected at their upper and lower ends by a common neck 4 and a bottom 3, respectively, but are separated throughout the remainder of their length. These sections are made of soft and easily distended rubber, preferably of the style that is employed in the manufacture of the inner tubes of bicycle tires. The neck 4 is provided with an upstanding teat 5 to which is secured a valved filling nipple 6 of the ordinary type employed on bicycle tires and with which is designed to be connected a pump for forcing air into the two sections and thus inflating them.

The stock of the inner casing will have the general outline of the waist and bust of a female, the desired contour being imparted to it by means of what is termed a form definer 7 which is constructed from nonelastic fabric, and is of jacket form but Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 17, 1911.

Patented July 8, 1913.

Serial No. 633,872.

sleeveless, and is divided along its median line at the front from end to end. A series of independent lacings 10 are threaded through the back of the definer and pass between the two sections of the inflatable casing, the ends of the various lacings passing through apertures 9 in the front of the definer along the respective edges 8 formed by the division, ends of the lacings being designed to be knotted or tied together.

The form in common use, is designed to rest upon a stand, the post of which is designated P, the legs L and the top T, and secured around the edges of the top is a series of pins or studs S that are designed to be engaged by eyelets 12 formed in a length of tape or the like 13 secured around the lower edge of the form and extending sulficiently below the same to permit ready connection between the eyelets and the studs. In order -to secure these results, with the present invention, the measurements of the waist and bust of the prospective wearer are taken. and the inner casing is inflated to the desired degree, whereupon by manipulating the lacings 10, the distended form may be made to correspond to the measure ments obtained, and further, by the employ ment of the distendable sections 1 and 2, the back and front portion of the definer, are caused to maintain a relatively flat c0ndition, corresponding to the general shape of the human form.

In the event that the waist to be made is for a small person, the distension of the inner casing, as will be obvious, will be less than where the waist is to be fitted to a large person, and by the employment of the lacings, one definer may be used for almost any person of ordinary size. As will be obvious, with persons of very large size a larger casing or form will be required, and consequently a larger definer, but it has been found that one of the elastic forms and one of the definers will be all that an ordinary dressmaker will require. After the adjustment of the definer has been completed and the form as a whole has assumed the desired shape, the lining of the waist is then cut and fitted to the form, and then basted, and finally sewed in the usual manner. In addition to providing for the proper fitting of the lining, the structure hereinbefore shown may also be employed for fitting the fabric of the waist, which may be accomplished by positioning the lining upon the together in order to decrease the \VIdth -Of.

' the various portions of the form. Thus, by

tightening the various lacings, the inflatable casing may be contracted, the edges 8 being drawn together so as to bring the sections ofthe casingcloser together in order to decrease the width of the various portions of the form,'and by loosening the various lacings, the sections of the inflatable casing may be permitted'to separate so .as to increase the Width of the various. portions of the form. The sections of the casing'i'n be- 1, ing separated also permit the'front and rear of the form to be drawn together, the space between the sections of the casing permitting the sections to be flattened slightly. It will therefore be possible to adjust the form without inflating or deflating the casing, and a further feature of'the present invention is provided by the provision vof the inflatable casing constructed in two sections as defined. This feature resides in the fact,

that when the sections of the casing-are pressed together, the shoulders of the form may be drooped orv sloped as desired.

The improvements herein defined, while simple inv character, will be found thoroughly effective for the purpose designed, and will coact in the production of a form that willbe at once simple, compact, durablev and effective. I i 1 What I claim is:

A waist form comprising a stand, a form definer detachably engaged at its lower end to\the stand and divided at the front along its inedianlline, an inflatable casing within the definer and comprising :two sections spaced apart along the median line of the definer and united-at their lower and upper ends by a common bottom and neck, respectively, and a series of independent lacmgs threaded'through the back of the definer and passing betwen the sections of the easing, the ends of the various lacings passing through the front of the definer along the edges formed by-the division and being designed to be knotted'together.

In testimony that I'- claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed'my-slgnature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRIET SWALLIE. Witnesses:

Jnss 'RINGELSPAUGH, J. O. THRoc'KMoR'roN. 

